Haig Der Manuelian with his beloved wife Adele
This week we remember the five-year anniversary of the passing of Haig Der Manuelian, the larger-than-life Chairman and Co-Founder of the Armenian Museum of America.
Born in Watertown, he attended Boston Latin School and graduated summa cum laude from Tufts University at the age of 17 and graduated from Harvard Law School before turning 21, having passed the bar exam six months earlier.
He was a founding member of the Armenian Museum of America, the National Association for Armenian Studies and Research, the Armenian Assembly of America, the Council of Armenian Executives, and the AYF’s Camp Haiastan. His parents were survivors of the Armenian Genocide, and he was passionate that all genocides throughout the world be recognized and never forgotten.
“Haig was a true renaissance man in every way. A visionary, he had a great sense of history and its impact on the future,” recalled Museum President Michele Kolligian. “He was proud of his Armenian heritage and recognized the benefit of being born in this country and the advantages it afforded him throughout his life. The flip side of this high achiever was the sweet and humble boy who never forgot his Armenian roots and family traditions.”
Fifty years ago, Haig and the late Reverend Vartan Hartunian, a Genocide Survivor and the pastor of the First Armenian Church in Belmont, along with a number of other hard-working founding members, filled the basement of the Church with countless Armenian books and artifacts. This nascent collection of objects became the foundation for what would become the Armenian Museum of America.
Today that collection has grown and relocated to Watertown, MA, and because of Haig, as he so often stated proudly, it is the largest Armenian museum in the world outside of Armenia.
“Haig was a man of strength who excelled in every aspect of his life. His devotion and passion for the betterment of the Armenian Museum of America was unwavering. He worked diligently, selflessly, and with great integrity,” continued Kolligian. “Haig demonstrated a deep passion and dedication that made it possible for this institution to thrive and grow into the world-class Museum it is today.”
This devotion was shared by his loving wife Adele who also volunteered endless hours of her time to the Museum. They donated over a million dollars towards the renovation of the third floor Contemporary Gallery. The Adele and Haig Der Manuelian Galleries are a reminder of their incredible generosity and commitment to the Armenian Museum.
“Haig was multifaceted in many areas, whether practicing law, reciting Latin, playing tennis, or sailing. He never did things halfway. He was brilliant, intuitive, fearless, passionate, and always determined to do what was correct,” concluded Kolligian. “His commitment and perseverance were the driving force behind all of us who worked alongside him, and his example will guide us to continue his legacy.”